Experts are warning against at-home water births, after a mum shared a video of her home birth in her tub.
Videos and images of free birthing are popping up more and more on social media, with some mums saying that they prefer the experience of giving birth unassisted rather than going to going to hospital.
Just last month, a video of a woman giving birth in her garden without any pain relief or assistance went viral, as the mum-of-six revealed that she's never given birth in hospital.
Now a new video of a mum giving birth to her baby in her tub at home is sparking debate again, as experts claim the practice might not be safe.
Speaking the Australia's The Daily Telegraph, obstetrician Dr Michael Gannon, who's a former president of the Australian Medical Association, said the video was 'dangerous'.
In the clip shared on Instagram, Jessie Goetze is seen giving birth with the help of her husband, with her dog also witnessing the special moment.
Water birth pros and cons: Should you have a water birth?
Water births are considered safe in the UK when done within the NHS, as mums give birth in pools that are 'filled specifically for each birth and are specially temperature controlled', says Dr Ron Daniels, CEO of the UK Sepsis Trust and Global Sepsis Alliance.
'Provided they are carried out in that environment then water births continue to be a safe and popular means of delivery', he told HuffPost UK.
However, when they are done at home, the risks are higher as the water might not meet the requirements for a safe clean birth. Dr Ron Daniels added: 'The risks associated with standing water, particularly that which is repeatedly heated and cooled, certainly include bacteria breeding in the water and therefore we increase the risk of infection whenever we enter the water.'
The risks aren't exclusive to at-home water birth either. According to a study published in the Medical Journal Of Australia in 2010, babies born at home were seven times more likely to die from complications, than those who were born in hospitals.
